Hangers of the general type of the present invention are known. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,875,903 and 2,268,894. In the first mentioned patent, a garment hanger is of the type adapted to be located in a closet and thereby requires oppositely disposed side walls as well as a rear wall to support the components thereof. The second mentioned patent shows a garment hanger of the type wherein all components are on a common wall.
In prior art garment hangers such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,875,903, the device disclosed therein requires a separate detent in order to maintain the hanger rail in its lowermost access position. While said patent discloses springs for the garment rail, the springs are inoperative until the garment rail has moved to the position shown in FIG. 2 of that patent. Further, the springs do not bias the hanger to either the access position or the storage position. Hence, the garment rail in that patent may inadvertently pivot to an intermediate position. That disadvantage as well as others are overcome by the present invention.
This invention relates to a hanger adapted to be supported by brackets projecting from a vertical wall for enlarging the capacity of the storage area in a store or the like. The hanger includes a pair of spaced, parallel mounting brackets for supporting a hanger. A hanger device including said hanger is coupled to the brackets by a pair of arms. Each arm has an upper end connected to the hanger and a lower end pivotably connected to one of said brackets.
A handle is pivotably coupled to the hanger device between said arms for pivoting said arms to thereby lower the elevation of the hanger. A spring means is coupled to at least one of said arms for maintaining the hanger in each of its upper storage positions and lower access positions. The spring means helps to return the hanger to its storage position and is preferably adjustable.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel hanger for increasing the capacity of a storage area wherein a rail will have an upper storage position and a lower access position while at all times being parallel to the adjacent wall from which it is supported.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a garment hanger having an upper storage position and a lower access position which includes an over the center arrangement whereby a single spring maintains the garment rail in each of its positions.
Other objects will appear hereinafter.